Showing 282 results

Baptismal name: Thomas Nesdale
Religious name: Fr. Seraphin Nesdale OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 21 Sept. 1897
Date of baptism: 26 Sept. 1897
Place of birth: Adrigole, County Cork
Name of father: Thomas Nesdale
Name of mother: Margaret Nesdale (née Regan)
Occupation of parents: National School Teachers
Primary school education: Trafrask National School, Adrigole, County Cork
Secondary school education: Seraphic (Capuchin) College, Rochestown, County Cork
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 8 Sept. 1915
Date of first profession: 17 Sept. 1916
Date of final profession: 12 Oct. 1919
Date of ordination (as priest): 29 June 1925
Education attainments: BA (1921)
Missionary activity: United States Mission (1925); African Mission (Sept. 1931). He returned to Ireland in Mar. 1946.
Date of death: 14 Dec. 1980
Place of death: Kilkenny
Place of burial: Foulkstown Cemetery, County Kilkenny

Peadar Ó Laoghaire (Peter O’Leary) was born in Lios Carragáin near Macroom in County Cork on 30 April 1839. Born into a bilingual family, he was educated at St. Colman’s College in Fermoy before entering the seminary at St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth, County Kildare. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1867. He went on to serve in several parishes in the diocese of Cloyne, spending his final thirty years (from 1891) as parish priest of Castlelyons (Caisleán Ó Liatháin) in County Cork. From 1906 he was officially titled Canon Peter O’Leary, but he was more commonly addressed as ‘an tAthair Peadar’ (or ‘Father Peter’). Although he did not begin writing in earnest until he was in his fifties, the foundation of Conradh na Gaeilge (1893) spurred him on to take up a career as a writer. He was particularly eager to compile accessible Irish language reading material, especially for a younger generation. O’Leary completed nearly five hundred pieces of work including essays, stories, and translations of The Bible and ‘Don Quixote’, in addition to modernisations of early and medieval Irish texts. His best-known works are ‘Séadna’ (1904) and ‘Mo scéal féin’ (1915). ‘Séadna’, a folk tale, is considered a seminal work in the Gaelic revival, epitomizing O’Leary’s championing of ‘caint na ndaoine’ or the language of the people. His pioneering autobiographical work, ‘Mo Sgéal Féin’, was published by the Irish Book Company, founded by Norma Borthwick and Mairéad Ní Raghallaigh, with whom he was closely associated. O’Leary’s contribution to Irish language literature saw him honoured as a freeman of both Dublin and Cork, with Cork Corporation referring to him as ‘the greatest Irish writer of his age’ when granting him the freedom of the city in 1912. O’Leary died in Castlelyons, County Cork, on 21 March 1920 and was buried in the local cemetery.

Daniel Francis O’Brien was born in Cork on 8 October 1912. His early education was in the Presentation School and later in the Christian Brothers’ School on Sullivan's Quay in Cork. He was an altar server in Holy Trinity Capuchin Church on Father Mathew Quay, and he joined the Order (taking Nicholas as his religious name) in October 1929. He was awarded an MA in philosophy in University College Cork in 1934. Following his ordination to the priesthood in 1937, he continued his studies in the International Capuchin College in Rome. He obtained a Doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1941 and later a Doctorate of both laws (IUD) at the Lateran Pontifical University (1943). He also obtained a Higher Diploma in Library Science from the Vatican Library in 1942. His time in Rome was inevitably marked by the hardship of the wartime shortages. From 1943 to 1947, he taught Canon Law at Ard Mhuire Friary in County Donegal. He then returned to the International College in Rome where he served as Canon Law tutor to Capuchin students. He remained in Rome until July 1949. He subsequently returned to the House of Theology at Ard Mhuire and served as a lector there for the next twenty-eight years. He was also acted as a spiritual assistant to the Third Order of St. Francis lay fraternity. He was appointed Provincial Secretary in 1967 and held this position until his death on 5 March 1980. He was buried in the cemetery adjoining the Capuchin Friary in Rochestown, County Cork.

Baptismal name: Daniel Francis O’Brien
Religious name: Fr. Nicholas O’Brien OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 8 Oct. 1912
Place of birth: 15 Castle Street, Cork
Name of father: Thomas O’Brien
Name of mother: Brigid O’Brien (née Dennehy)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 3 Oct. 1929
Date of first profession: 4 Oct. 1930
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1933
Date of ordination (as priest): 10 Oct. 1937 (Ard Mhuire Capuchin Friary, County Donegal)
Educational attainments: BA, 1st class hons. (1933); MA (1934); Doctorate of Canon Law (1941); Doctorate of both laws (civil and church law), (1943)
Leadership positions: Provincial Secretary, 1967-80
Date of death: 5 Mar. 1980
Place of death: Ballincollig, County Cork
Place of burial, Cemetery, Rochestown Capuchin Friary, County Cork

Baptismal name: Frederick O’Brien
Religious name: Fr. Sebastian O’Brien OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 26 Feb. 1867
Place of birth: Dublin
Name of father: John O’Brien
Name of mother: Anne O’Brien (née Molloy)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 11 June 1887
Date of first profession: 18 June 1888
Date of final profession: 22 Feb. 1892
Date of ordination: 18 Oct. 1894
Date of death: 12 Sept. 1931
Place of death: Dublin
Place of burial: Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin

Patrick O’Callaghan was born in Cork on 8 December 1880. He joined the Capuchin Franciscans in September 1898 and took Brendan as his religious name. He was ordained on 16 March 1907. In late 1913 he was transferred to the newly established mission custody in the Western United States. He was initially assigned as assistant pastor to St. Francis Parish in Bend, Oregon. After just one year in ministry there he was transferred to Hermiston, Oregon, to assist Fr. Casimir Butler OFM Cap. and Fr. Malachy Hynes OFM Cap. At the time, the Irish friars were investigating the prospects of a new location somewhere on the east coast. A friary there would serve as a midway point for the arduous journey from Ireland to the American Pacific Coast. Fr. Brendan was appointed to find a location for this new foundation. At the invitation of Archbishop Michael Joseph Curley (1879-1947), Fr. Brendan and Fr. Fabian Reynolds OFM Cap. arrived to work in the Immaculate Conception Parish in Towson, Maryland. There stay there was short, however, as problems arose with the Pittsburgh Capuchin Province over jurisdiction. Finally, it was discovered that Delaware was not included in any Capuchin Provincial jurisdiction and a location was chosen in Wilmington. Fr. Brendan was appointed the first guardian (local superior) of the new foundation (St. Patrick’s Friary). In 1935, a novitiate was established in Wilmington. Fr. Brendan returned to Ireland in 1937. He spent his remaining years as a member of the Holy Trinity Capuchin community in Cork city. He died on 10 June 1952 and was buried in the cemetery adjoining Rochestown Capuchin Friary in County Cork.

Baptismal name: Patrick O’Callaghan
Religious name: Fr. Brendan O’Callaghan OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 8 Dec. 1880
Place of birth: Cork
Name of father: William O’Callaghan
Name of mother: Catherine O’Callaghan (née O’Brien)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 17 Sept. 1898
Date of first profession: 17 Sept. 1899
Date of final profession: 25 Sept. 1904
Date of ordination (as priest): 16 Mar. 1907
Educational attainments: BA (RUI), 1904
Missionary activities: Travelled to the United States mission in Nov. 1913. He returned to Ireland in 1937.
Leadership positions: Custos General, 1946-9
Date of death: 10 June 1952
Place of death: Cork
Place of burial: Cemetery, Rochestown Capuchin Friary, Cork

Baptismal name: Patrick O’Callaghan
Religious name: Br. Dominic O’Callaghan OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 20 Mar. 1903
Place of birth: Douglas, Cork
Name of father: Michael O’Callaghan
Name of mother: Elizabeth O’Callaghan (née Murphy)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 1 Nov. 1931
Date of first profession: 2 Nov. 1932
Date of final profession: 2 Nov. 1935
Missionary activities: Travelled to Barotseland, Northern Rhodesia (later Zambia), on 10 Oct. 1938. He returned to Ireland on 11 February 1976.
Date of death: 26 Aug. 1981
Place of burial: Cemetery, Ard Mhuire Capuchin Friary, County Donegal

Edward O’Callaghan was born in Cork on 16 November 1879. He joined the Capuchin Franciscan Order in September 1896 and took Finbarr as his religious name. He was ordained to the priesthood on 28 September 1902. He was among the first Irish friars to be sent to the University of Louvain but his time (1902-4) in Belgium was cut short by ill-health. He spent the early years of his ministry as a priest in Holy Trinity Friary in Cork and was appointed Vicar for that community. In 1924 he was transferred to the United States mission and served as Pastor in Willits in Mendocino County, California. He returned to Ireland in 1936 and was again appointed to Holy Trinity Friary in Cork. He was noted for his work with the Third Order of St. Francis lay confraternity and the Purgatorial Society attached to Holy Trinity Church. He died in Cork on 9 March 1963. He was buried in the cemetery adjoining the Capuchin Friary in Rochestown, County Cork.

Baptismal name: Edward O’Callaghan
Religious name: Fr. Finbarr O’Callaghan OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 16 Nov. 1879
Place of birth: Cork
Name of father: William O’Callaghan
Name of mother: Catherine O’Brien (née O’Brien)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 8 Sept. 1896
Date of first profession: 4 Oct. 1897
Date of final profession: 2 Aug. 1902
Date of ordination (as priest): 28 Sept. 1902
Educational attainments: BA (RUI), 1901
Missionary activities: Travelled to Western United States mission in Apr. 1924. He returned to Ireland in 1936.
Date of birth: 9 Mar. 1963
Place of death: St. Joseph’s Hospital, Cork
Place of burial: Cemetery, Rochestown Capuchin Friary, County Cork

Baptismal name: John O’Callaghan
Religious name: Fr. Kieran O’Callaghan OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 28 Nov. 1893
Place of birth: Rathonoane, Crookstown, County Cork
Name of father: Daniel O’Callaghan
Name of mother: Margaret O’Callaghan (née Duggan)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 14 Sept. 1910
Date of first profession: 17 Sept. 1911
Date of final profession: 8 July 1916
Date of ordination (as priest): 3 May 1918
Educational attainments: BA (1914); MA (1915)
Leadership positions: Secretary to the Irish Capuchin Province, 1931-7; Served as guardian (local superior) of St. Bonaventure’s Friary, Cork, for seven years; philosophy lecturer, University College Cork; Custos General, 1952-5.
Date of death: 26 July 1967
Place of death: Cork
Place of burial: Cemetery, Rochestown Capuchin Friary, County Cork

A native of Tarbert in County Kerry, Thomas O’Connor was born on 16 July 1859. At the age of seventeen, he joined the Capuchin Franciscans and took Matthew as his religious name. He was ordained a priest on 27 August 1882. He held several senior leadership positions in the Order in Ireland and was twice elected Provincial Minister (1893-6 and 1898-1901). He served as President of Father Mathew Memorial Hall on Church Street in Dublin from 1894 to 1895. Much of his later life in ministry was spent in Kilkenny and he died in the Capuchin Friary in the city on Sunday, 27 April 1930. He was buried in Foulkstown Cemetery just outside Kilkenny city.

Baptismal name: Thomas O’Connor
Religious name: Fr. Matthew O’Connor OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 16 July 1859
Place of birth: Tarbert, County Kerry
Name of father: John O’Connor
Name of mother: Ellen O’Connor (née Heagerty)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 16 July 1876
Date of first profession: July 1877
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1880
Date of ordination (as priest): 27 Aug. 1882
Leadership positions: Provincial Minister: 1893-6, 1898-1901; Provincial Definitor (Councillor): 1885-8, 1887-90, 1890-3, 1905-8, 1910-3; Custos: 1887, 1890, 1895, 1901, 1907.
Date of death: 27 Apr. 1930
Place of death: Capuchin Friary, Kilkenny
Place of burial: Foulkstown Cemetery, County Kilkenny

John O’Dea was born to Kieran and Mary O’Dea (née Doyle) of William Street in Kilkenny in 1851. He joined the Capuchin Order in England in 1868 and took Laurence as his religious name. He was ordained a priest by the Bishop of Southwark on 3 May 1874 at the Capuchin Friary in Pantasaph, Flintshire, in North Wales. He joined the Irish Capuchins shortly afterwards and from 1874 to 1881 was Novice Master in Le Mans, France, where the Irish friars studied. He travelled to India in 1881 and was later appointed a chaplain to the British forces stationed there. He assumed responsibility for the construction of the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Joseph in Shimla in 1885. O’Dea returned to Britain in 1891. Having re-joined the British Capuchin Province, he served as guardian (local superior) in several English Capuchin Houses including Olton (Oxford), Erith (London) and Crawley (Sussex). Although advancing in age (he was at this point nearly sixty), he volunteered for further missionary work in Arabia from 1907 to 1909. At the outbreak of the First World War, he again put forward his name for military chaplaincy. His offer was accepted, and he was made chaplain to a large convalescent camp established at Eastbourne on the English Coast for wounded and shell-shocked soldiers of the conflict. At its peak, the main camp had room for 3,500 injured soldiers. Overburdened by the pressures of his work, O’Dea died in the Military Hospital at Palace Green in London on 4 November 1917. He was buried in the cemetery of the Friary Church of St Francis in Crawley, Sussex.